Lightningkit's Broken Heart
by jayfeathergal
Summary: A young kit has troubling dreams of the mother he's never met. Bullied and pressured to be more, Lightningkit will go where no cat has gone before. And he may never come back...
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Lightningkit's POV

Lightningkit turned in his sleep. He was dreaming. All he could see were towering white drifts of snow, surrounding him with a menacing chill, that was more than just a nip in the air. His mother, his real mother, was ahead of him, he could feel it. Lightningkit couldn't see her, he didn't even know what she looked like, but he knew he was following something. In every nightmare he was. And in every nightmare the snow filled around him. Choking him. Until he could see no more.

"Get up, mousebrain!" called a squeaky voice, "Hollowstar called a meeting!"

Shrewkit, his sister, was much more energetic than Lightningkit, who was only just rising to his paws. His dream was clinging like cobwebs, but at least there wasn't any sticky snow or extreme cold frosting his whiskers.

Lost in thought, Lightningkit didn't notice his "mother" Starlingpelt, approach. Nobody knew of his dreams and suspicions of Starlingpelt pretending she was his mother. He jumped as her tail tip touched his shoulder. She looked concerned, her eyes narrowed as she inspected him. Rapidly, she tossed questions at him, "Why do you toss and turn in your sleep? Are you sick? Are you having nightmares? I should get Yarrowfoot, she'll know what to do. Yarrowf-"

"Starlingpelt I'm okay!" Lightningkit had had enough. Ever since his first encounter with his nightmares, Starlingpelt had done this every morning. Yarrowfoot would dash out of the medicine den, carrying emergency herbs like cobweb and catmint, only to inspect a perfectly healthy Lightningkit. Worried that cats in the clearing would turn their heads and stare, he lowered his voice so that only she could hear, "You don't have to talk to me like I'm a kit! I'm almost six moons old already!"

Wondering if he had hurt her feelings, Lightningkit looked up into his mothers eyes, but was surprised to see they were flashing with amusement. "Kits! They never change!" Starlingpelt started to lick the fur between his ears, when thankfully, Hollowstar interrupted, "We all know what dangers live beyond the Twolegplace, but never before have they been so close. Emberheart has reported that his patrol scented rouges' scent in our territory." "Rouges?" That was Haretail, an elder, "Those mouse hearted cowards! Have they no respect?" Ignoring the outburst Hollowstar finished," The threat here is obvious, so no warrior or apprentice can leave camp alone. Hunt in groups and keep a sharp eye out. This meeting is over."

"Lightningkit!" Shrewkit was padding towards him, her eyes shining. "Can you believe it? Rouges in our territory!" Suddenly, she crouched down, poised to leap at Lightningkit, who also bent down, ready for her attack. Then she lunged for his ears, so instinctively Lightningkit would raise his forepaws to block her sheathed blows. But they didn't come, instead, he was swept off his feet and he fell to the ground. when he opened his eyes, Lightningkit realized he was pinned, with Shrewkit's Light gray and white paw splayed on his neck.

There was a snicker beside Lightningkit, not Shrewkit's, but Fawnpaw's. "You'll never be a warrior if you fight like that!"

"Yeah," That was Badgerpaw, who really wasn't all there, "you'll end up being un-trainable and become a medicine cat!" At this, both cats laughter couldn't be contained. They rolled around the dusty nursery clearing, howling. "We're becoming apprentices this moon!" yelled Shrewpaw, putting down a defiant paw, "And you won't become warriors for at least a month!"

"At least we aren't soft like Lightningkit," Hissed Badgerpaw, "he won't even speak for himself!"

Lightningkit shied away, but then he whipped around and yelled "At least **we **don't pick on cats younger than ourselves!" He stalked away, not caring whether or not Shrewkit followed. He stepped into the nursery entrance as when he felt fur brush his. It was Shrewkit with her head down in defeat. They both curled up in the warmth of his suspected step-mother's belly and slept.

Shrewpaw's POV

Shrewkit felt Lightningkit shift beside him. _Another dream, _she thought, annoyed_. _"Lightningkit, **please**, Just go to sleep." When he didn't reply, Shrewpaw spoke again, "Lightningkit?"

Opening her eyes, she realized with a jolt, he wasn't there. _Maybe he went to the dirtplace. _After waiting for what felt like moons, she silently left the nest, her eyes adjusting to the light. Following his scent, it led out of the camp's gorse tunnel. Curious, she started to follow, but stopped. What if there were rouges? Or badgers? Surely she'd be dead in a heartbeat. _But Lightningkit is out there! _Overwhelmed, she sprinted out the tunnel, thorns brushing her fur, and staggered up the ravine, Lightningkit's scent still fresh. Looking around, Shrewpaw was amazed of the height of the trees and the size of their roots.

_No_ _time to stop now,_ she thought reluctantly. Continuing into the territory, she smelled a new scent, it stank of rotting wood, and crowfood. She only had seen crowfood once before. Lightningkit had been digging through the fresh kill pile for a squirrel, and it had smelled strange. He had shrugged and said, "Prey is prey" Once he brought it in the nursery, Mouseclaw, Badgerpaw and Fawnpaw's mother, had screamed and alerted everyone in camp. Hollowstar had entered, fear in his eyes and his pelt bristling, only to find a small, pathetic piece of crowfood.

Suddenly, she heard an ear piercing scream of fear. _Lightningkit!_ Shrewpaw started racing through the woods, heart pounding, in the direction of the scream. In the direction of twoleg place.

Lightningkit's POV

The leaves on the trees rustled overhead, telling of rain to come. _Good!_ Lightningkit thought with glee, _They won't be able to follow my scent now! _He was headed for twoleg place. His fighting moves on the tips of his claws. _Those rouges will never see me coming! _Soon, Lightningkit came a across the scent of crowfood_, _and the scents of many cats, none of them were clan cats from what he could tell.

Eventually, he came across a wall of neat rows of flat wooden things. looking to both his sides, they seemed to continue for hundreds of fox lengths in either direction. Beside him, a heap of crowfood and twoleg trash lay with flies buzzing around it, and the stench was almost unbearable. Eager to get across and see the other side, he didn't care how he had to, just to defeat one rouge and rub it in the other apprentices faces.

For his first attempt, Lightningkit threw himself at the pile, but he just scrabbled meekly at the side, slid down, and landed hard on his flank. Next, he came around the side, and stepped on a moldy box to gain height, then leaped at the metal sides. Suddenly he had a pawhold, and another. Then his hind legs scrabbled up the rest of the way, pulling himself up onto the disgusting rubbish.

The other side was strange, a giant reddish-colored thing. _T__hat must be a twoleg nest from the elder's tales_. There was room to the side, as the fence connected to another, and branched off. Leaping down, he realized with dread, the forest floor had transformed into hard gray rock, but it didn't seem natural. It was flat, and smelled disgustingly like twolegs and something else he couldn't recgignize.

Taking a look as to where he should go next, he saw a flash at the edge of the shadows. _A rouge! "_All right you mangy crowfood eater, come out, so I can rip your fur off!"

Then, it did.

Lightningkit screamed.

Chapter 2

Rain's POV

"Hey, Rain... Rain"

The voice was just a faint whisper.

"What?"

"Wake up. Hunters are gathering"

Slowly opening her eyes, Savoring all the sleep she could, Rain looked up. She was looking into a pair of cat's eyes. Storm's. They were a deep brown-gold color, and were staring lovingly into hers. "Why do they leave so early?" She asked the question, though she knew the answer already. The prey was always out early in the mornings of Twolegplace, in hopes of their hunters not being awake yet. "You told me to wake you up at dawn, so you could have good hunting."

She sat up and began to wash. When she was done, she glanced around, hoping to see her brother so she could invite him to come along. "Where's Snow?"

"He left just before you woke up. Saying, 'Better get out before Rain does so I can beat her at catching that mouse!' I told him he didn't stand a chance, not with you around." He nuzzled her gently, then stood up and left the warm den. It wasn't much of a one, with the holes and water dripping from the silver ceiling made from twoleg trash. Suddenly, her stomach rumbled, reminding her to hurry. She rushed out of the den to see the patrol was still waiting. "Could you have taken any longer?" Asked a rude voice.

"Sure Nettle, anything to get you your precious 23 hours of sleep" retorted Rain with a grin.

" At least **_I_** didn't take a moon getting out of **_my_** nest today." Nettle smirked as she replied.

The group left the camp and decided to split up, Rain, Storm, and Nettle hunted in the alleyway behind the abandoned twoleg nest, and Rocky crossed the thunderpath, to search any dumpsters for squirrels. Immediately, Nettle dropped into a hunting crouch, stepping lightly, and caught a mouse. Rain and Storm pair hunted to catch a Thrush, who was busily pecking along the cracks in the hard flooring, not paying any attention at all. Rain ran out of hiding, yowling, and the bird flew into Storm's expectant paws.

The sun was beginning to set as the trio headed back to camp. They had too much fresh kill to carry back at once, so they made a second trip. As they turned around the corner of the twoleg nest in the alleyway, Storm called "Wait," Then Rain heard a thump, a cat's paws landing on the ground. "get down." Unable to see their enemy around the bend, only Nettle stuck her head around it. "It's just a kit," she whispered, "probably from those '_warrior clans'_ that live in the forest"

The cat mewed something defiant, but Rain didn't understand much. Just that it was some kind of threat. Suddenly, Nettle stalked out menacingly from the shadows. She paused as the kit screamed before grabbing him by the scruff.

Shrewkit's POV

Following Lightningkit's scent blindly, Shrewkit barely had time to stop before she rammed into a fence. She came to a skidding halt just a whisker away from the wooden boards, and almost gagged on a horrible stench. Looking to the left, she saw the pile of twoleg trash and recoiled. Then realized with a shudder, that Lightningkit had climbed up the disgusting heap and crossed the fence into twoleg place. _Oh No!, _She suddenly leaped up the pile as she thought_, That's where rouges live! _Not thinking of her own safety, Shrewpaw leaped over the fence and gave a furious hiss, ready for whatever had harmed Lightningkit.

Shrewkit nearly fell over in fear, There were cats here, and they didn't exactly smell like clan cats. She stiffened, there was movement in the shadows. Then, a blue-gray rouge, a tom, lunged for her. She couldn't even yelp as the tom grabbed her by the scruff, pain lanced through her neck as he pulled up hard.

"What do we do with them? Take them back?" That was a light gray and white she-cat, who didn't sound very hostile, just confused.

"I say we kill 'em now, to be done with it and get back" That was another she-cat, he voice muffled.

"I think Rain is right, we should bring them back to Sky. She'll know what to do"

Since Shrewkit could only look down, she could just see paws and sometimes whiskers. She was used to this, after all, her mother had only dragged her out of the nursery before, never letting her set foot on her own. Only when she was four moons old could she walk out with Lightningkit. _Lightningkit! _She thought happily,_ He's here! _Shrewkit could scent him, it was so fresh, she could almost touch it.

_Why aren't the others doing anything about it? Can they even scent him? Or are they really that stupid? _Suddenly, the rouges headed deeper into twoleg place, leaving the alleyway. They crossed a couple streams and dips in the hard, black surface, when Shrewpaw noticed she could smell more cats.

_**Many**_ more cats.

Lightningkit's POV

Lightningkit was terrified, he couldn't fight or flee, he couldn't even move. His scruff was aching so badly, and he didn't even know where he was being taken to. When he heard his sister hiss, then yelp, his whole world came crashing down on him. _**He**_ had brought her into danger. A danger he couldn't control.

Chapter 3

Rain's POV

Walking into the shelter, Rain noticed some cats avoid her, giving them tentative stares and walking away, just to watch from a safer distance. Uncomfortable, Rain lowered her gaze. A younger aged cat padded up to them, unaware of the harsh stares she was given, and sniffed each of the strange kittens in turn. Soon enough, others approached, asking questions they've been itching to ask since the hunters entered the shelter.

"Who's kits are those?"

"Where did they come from?"

Suddenly one spoke out above the rest, "They smell like the forest! They must be clan cats!"

They went silent, considering the possibility. Then more outbursts, jumbling together in a buzzing chaos, until a commanding voice yowled, "Quiet, All of you!"

_Yes! Thank you!_ Thought Rain, she had become restless, waiting for the conversations to subside. The voice who had spoken was their leader, Sky. She was their leader because she had pulled the loners together as one, and made a family. She was a natural and fair leader, respected by most and known by all in the group.

"Why have you brought these kits into our realm? You know the don't belong here, their mother will be furious."

"I tried to tell them Sky, I told them to leave them where they were and be fair about this. But they wouldn't listen." Nettle lied, as she always did. "They wanted the glory of finding th-"

"Quiet! I was asking Rain." Sky turned her gaze to the nervous she-cat, who had never spoken in front of so many others before. She gulped. "We found them by the abandoned alleyway, next to the forest. When we had come back to retrieve the rest of our prey, we spotted this kit, and after we caught it, the other popped out." Rain decided to leave out the part about Nettle wanting to kill them, she knew it didn't matter. Sky would've never believed it. "We thought it would be best to bring them here and let you decide"

"I see" Her eyes narrowed in thought. Raising her head once more, she turned to Storm, "Bring the kits to the holly bush shelter for the injured, and patch any holes so they can't escape. They will stay there until I decide what to do with them." She looked over the cats, searching out one in particular, then she called, "Mud, you will take first guard duty until dawn, then find another cat to take your place 'till sunhigh." Mud, a dark brown and black color, replied," Yes Sky." His leader turned to her den.

"I will decide what we do with them during the sunhigh meal."

Lightningkit's POV

When he was brought to the bush-den, Lightningkit passed out. This time, his dreams were filled with the fear he had felt at the sight of the rouges, and the fear he felt for his sister. When he woke, he felt as though he had never slept. Remembering with a thrill of fear what had happened the night before, Lightningkit opened his eyes to look for Shrewkit, and found her immediately. She was curled into a tight ball, her head resting on his tail. Delighted to see her, he poked her side. She mumbled protest, "Five more minutes..." He jabbed her again, " Wh- Huh?...Lightningkit? I had the scariest dream."

"It wasn't a dream" He mewed with dread. Shrewkit looked around, then her eyes opened wide, " It wasn't?" She whispered the words with the slightest hint of disbelief.

"What are they going to do with us? Eat us and suck on our bones?" Lightningkit shuddered at his dark thought.

Shrewkit hesitated, "I'm not sure, but their leader said they would decide at the sunhigh something. Maybe they'll let us go."

"And give away their position to our clans? I don't think so." The pair listened to the commotion outside. Cats were talking of hunting and searching the territory for better living areas. The shelter buzzed with activity.

Soon though, A yowl interrupted the noise, silencing it. There was a voice, that was slightly muffled due to the holly bush, that sounded commanding. "That's Sky, their leader." Pricking his ears, and leaning close, Lightningkit could hear what the she-cat was saying. "...For those of you that don't already know, we are sheltering two kittens, supposedly from the clans. Assuming they are, I have decided that if the clan cats want their kits, they can search for them. If we enter their territory with kits in our jaws and offer them back, those cats will see us more as their enemies than anything else and chase us away. I don't believe it is worth the risk of bloodshed, and I will have these cats grow as a part of us."

There were no yowls of disbelief, defiance, or disagreement. Just another buzz of voices as the cats broke apart into clusters to carry on their conversations.

Lightningkit and Shrewkit didn't know what to say. Surely she didn't mean it?

Shrewkit's POV

Suddenly the leaves of the bush rustled, and a cat squeezed halfway in, fresh kill in her jaws. "I thought you two might need this" She dropped a vole. Suddenly Shrewkit's belly growled, but she hesitated, and gave the mysterious she-cat a look of mistrust. She giggled, " Smart. It's okay, you can trust me, I won't poison you." Amusement sparkled in her eyes as she pulled herself the rest of the way in, the sharp edges of the bush's leaves yanking her fur. She settled in the far side, where there was more room. Giving in to hunger, Shrewkit took a grateful bite. It was delicious. Suddenly,Lightningkit was bold enough to mew, "What's your name?"

Taken by surprise, the she cat answered, "Rain. And yours?" Lightningkit hesitated, so Shrewkit replied, "I'm Shrewkit, and this is Lightningkit." Lightningkit gave her a look, and she glared back. "I see your having problems trusting me. Is there anything you'd like to know about us? I mean, now that your staying here, if you want to leave this nest, you may as well know." All her uncertainty of this cat gone, Shrewkit asked, "What's the camp like? Do you all have different dens?"

Rain seemed a little confused, but she meowed, "We have a spot for kits and kit-mothers, healthy cats, sick cats, and a den for Sky. How did you know?"

"I think our clan was the same." Next, Lightningkit asked, do you teach the younger cats how to hunt? With mentors, I mean."

"No." Rain seemed more confused now. " We just hunt in groups. And the younger cats, when they're ready, will copy us until they get it right."

"Can we ever leave this bush? It's hot!" The gray she-cat grew silent, then shrugged. "Why not?"

Shrewkit was suddenly nervous, hoping the other cats would accept her. For some reason, this was more important than the world to her. Rain rose to her paws, then headed for the exit. She turned around, "Don't try to escape," Her eyes were serious, "If you do, you won't leave this bush for a moon." She hopped out of the den, and the kits followed. Rain mewed something to the snow white colored guard, then brushed past him, their fur touching. _Kin? _Shrewpaw wondered briskly, then she walked on.

Chapter 4

Rain's POV

Looking at the kits as they mingled with the others, Rain couldn't help but know who they belonged to. She liked them more than any other cat, but so far, nobody had noticed. Not even Storm. Their pelts were the same as hers and their fathers, but they had no clue. She was so worried for them, they had been through so much more than any cat could guess.

A memory flashed through her mind, a memory of snow, and leaving the kits behind in the shelter of that bush, in clan territory. She had been starving, and she knew a cat who would help her, help her without telling anyone else. She had left them there that night, abandoned them in the cold, but she knew they'd be in a better place. A part of a clan, where they could belong. But somehow they'd found their way back to her. Rain would like to keep it that way, but if they found out the truth, she would accept their hate.

Deciding the kits could manage, Rain searched the camp for Storm. She wanted to know if he had guessed about the kits. Soon, she spotted him, sharing fresh kill with her littermate, Snow. She padded over, ducking as Sparrow walked unsteadily in her path, carrying sticks to reinforce the holly bush.

As she approached, her shadow falling across the two toms, and Storm looked up.

"Yes?" Rain was almost nervous to tell her mate the news, but she was also almost certain he knew. " Can we take a walk along the fence by the woods? Alone?" She added as her brother opened his mouth.

Looking uncertain, Storm nodded. Turning to Snow, he mewed, "I'll catch up with you later, and you can finish the story about the fox." Then he wheeled back to her," Let's go"

Leaving the shelter, with just Storm by her side, was bringing back more memories of apprenticeship. They'd hunt together, in pairs, go on patrols together whenever they could, and even share fresh kill together. When they became warriors, cats had begun to expect to see the two together. ALWAYS.

"I'm, assuming you know?"

"What? Did I miss something?"

Rain really was stunned. Not even her mate had guessed they were her missing kits. She decided to take it slow. " It's about those kits."

"Yeah?"

"...They're ours."

Lightningkit's POV

"And what's your name youngster?"

"Lightningkit"

"And yours?"

"Shrewkit"

Lightningkit had begun to feel a little uncomfortable. Lots of cats had begun to surround him and his sister, asking all sorts of questions. From ones like, 'Where did you come from?', to questions like, ' What's your favorite kind of prey?'

Soon though, cats grew bored and began to leave. _Good riddance, _Lightningkit thought bitterly. When it was almost sunhigh, he and Shrewkit spotted Rain and her mate, Storm, enter. Ditching what was left of the group, they crossed the center of the rouges home, and skidded to a dusty halt at storm's paws.

He looked at them crossly. Lightningkit noticed Rain give him a stern look, then her gazed softened as it landed on them. "We need to talk.' Her voice was grave, and her eyes serious, as she added, "In the forest." _The forest!_ When he heard the word, he straitened up, eager to get going.

Rain headed for the exit, and they followed up behind. Shrewkit lengthened her stride to catch up to Storm. "What's up with rain?" She pried, "Why is she so serious?"

Storm gave her a look of uncertainty and some other feeling Lightningkit couldn't recognize. Was it...Love? No it couldn't be. He had imagined that.

"I uh, think you should wait and hear it from h-her" He started moving faster and caught up to Rain, Then whispered something in her ear. She licked his shoulder in return.

Finally, they stopped at an area enclosed slightly by trees growing densely together, and settled down.

Shrewkit and Lightningkit sat together, opposing Rain and Storm.

"I know you're both very curious as to why we've brought you here. What you are about to be told may and will change your lives forever."

Shrewkit twitched beside him. He glanced over and saw her blue eyes grow wide. Rain continued. "I... I..." She gulped. "I'm your mother."

At first, Lightningkit was speechless. Staring at this cat, she couldn't possibly be his mother. He suddenly burst with laughter, and disbelief. If that were possible. He couldn't contain his doubts. "You? My mother? I was born in a clan!"

Rain swapped a shocked glance with Storm.

Then the cats in front of him disappeared, and he was standing belly deep in snow. _My dream!_ His vision was perfectly clear, and he felt the freezing chill as if he really were there. Looking ahead , he could see his mother. He could actually see her! At least, her backside. She was a light gray, with some light flecks and stripes along her pelt.

He opened his eyes in shock and disbelief. "Rain?" He was back in the clearing as if he had never left. Shrewkit was beside him, staring at the ground, and his mother and father were two tail lengths away.

"Why did you leave us?"


	2. Chapter 2 (4)

Chapter 1

Lightningkit's POV

Lightningkit turned in his sleep. He was dreaming. All he could see were towering white drifts of snow, surrounding him with a menacing chill, that was more than just a nip in the air. His mother, his real mother, was ahead of him, he could feel it. Lightningkit couldn't see her, he didn't even know what she looked like, but he knew he was following something. In every nightmare he was. And in every nightmare the snow filled around him. Choking him. Until he could see no more.

"Get up, mousebrain!" called a squeaky voice, "Hollowstar called a meeting!"

Shrewkit, his sister, was much more energetic than Lightningkit, who was only just rising to his paws. His dream was clinging like cobwebs, but at least there wasn't any sticky snow or extreme cold frosting his whiskers.

Lost in thought, Lightningkit didn't notice his "mother" Starlingpelt, approach. Nobody knew of his dreams and suspicions of Starlingpelt pretending she was his mother. He jumped as her tail tip touched his shoulder. She looked concerned, her eyes narrowed as she inspected him. Rapidly, she tossed questions at him, "Why do you toss and turn in your sleep? Are you sick? Are you having nightmares? I should get Yarrowfoot, she'll know what to do. Yarrowf-"

"Starlingpelt I'm okay!" Lightningkit had had enough. Ever since his first encounter with his nightmares, Starlingpelt had done this every morning. Yarrowfoot would dash out of the medicine den, carrying emergency herbs like cobweb and catmint, only to inspect a perfectly healthy Lightningkit. Worried that cats in the clearing would turn their heads and stare, he lowered his voice so that only she could hear, "You don't have to talk to me like I'm a kit! I'm almost six moons old already!"

Wondering if he had hurt her feelings, Lightningkit looked up into his mothers eyes, but was surprised to see they were flashing with amusement. "Kits! They never change!" Starlingpelt started to lick the fur between his ears, when thankfully, Hollowstar interrupted, "We all know what dangers live beyond the Twolegplace, but never before have they been so close. Emberheart has reported that his patrol scented rouges' scent in our territory." "Rouges?" That was Haretail, an elder, "Those mouse hearted cowards! Have they no respect?" Ignoring the outburst Hollowstar finished," The threat here is obvious, so no warrior or apprentice can leave camp alone. Hunt in groups and keep a sharp eye out. This meeting is over."

"Lightningkit!" Shrewkit was padding towards him, her eyes shining. "Can you believe it? Rouges in our territory!" Suddenly, she crouched down, poised to leap at Lightningkit, who also bent down, ready for her attack. Then she lunged for his ears, so instinctively Lightningkit would raise his forepaws to block her sheathed blows. But they didn't come, instead, he was swept off his feet and he fell to the ground. when he opened his eyes, Lightningkit realized he was pinned, with Shrewkit's Light gray and white paw splayed on his neck.

There was a snicker beside Lightningkit, not Shrewkit's, but Fawnpaw's. "You'll never be a warrior if you fight like that!"

"Yeah," That was Badgerpaw, who really wasn't all there, "you'll end up being un-trainable and become a medicine cat!" At this, both cats laughter couldn't be contained. They rolled around the dusty nursery clearing, howling. "We're becoming apprentices this moon!" yelled Shrewpaw, putting down a defiant paw, "And you won't become warriors for at least a month!"

"At least we aren't soft like Lightningkit," Hissed Badgerpaw, "he won't even speak for himself!"

Lightningkit shied away, but then he whipped around and yelled "At least **we **don't pick on cats younger than ourselves!" He stalked away, not caring whether or not Shrewkit followed. He stepped into the nursery entrance as when he felt fur brush his. It was Shrewkit with her head down in defeat. They both curled up in the warmth of his suspected step-mother's belly and slept.

Shrewpaw's POV

Shrewkit felt Lightningkit shift beside him. _Another dream, _she thought, annoyed_. _"Lightningkit, **please**, Just go to sleep." When he didn't reply, Shrewpaw spoke again, "Lightningkit?"

Opening her eyes, she realized with a jolt, he wasn't there. _Maybe he went to the dirtplace. _After waiting for what felt like moons, she silently left the nest, her eyes adjusting to the light. Following his scent, it led out of the camp's gorse tunnel. Curious, she started to follow, but stopped. What if there were rouges? Or badgers? Surely she'd be dead in a heartbeat. _But Lightningkit is out there! _Overwhelmed, she sprinted out the tunnel, thorns brushing her fur, and staggered up the ravine, Lightningkit's scent still fresh. Looking around, Shrewpaw was amazed of the height of the trees and the size of their roots.

_No_ _time to stop now,_ she thought reluctantly. Continuing into the territory, she smelled a new scent, it stank of rotting wood, and crowfood. She only had seen crowfood once before. Lightningkit had been digging through the fresh kill pile for a squirrel, and it had smelled strange. He had shrugged and said, "Prey is prey" Once he brought it in the nursery, Mouseclaw, Badgerpaw and Fawnpaw's mother, had screamed and alerted everyone in camp. Hollowstar had entered, fear in his eyes and his pelt bristling, only to find a small, pathetic piece of crowfood.

Suddenly, she heard an ear piercing scream of fear. _Lightningkit!_ Shrewpaw started racing through the woods, heart pounding, in the direction of the scream. In the direction of twoleg place.

Lightningkit's POV

The leaves on the trees rustled overhead, telling of rain to come. _Good!_ Lightningkit thought with glee, _They won't be able to follow my scent now! _He was headed for twoleg place. His fighting moves on the tips of his claws. _Those rouges will never see me coming! _Soon, Lightningkit came a across the scent of crowfood_, _and the scents of many cats, none of them were clan cats from what he could tell.

Eventually, he came across a wall of neat rows of flat wooden things. looking to both his sides, they seemed to continue for hundreds of fox lengths in either direction. Beside him, a heap of crowfood and twoleg trash lay with flies buzzing around it, and the stench was almost unbearable. Eager to get across and see the other side, he didn't care how he had to, just to defeat one rouge and rub it in the other apprentices faces.

For his first attempt, Lightningkit threw himself at the pile, but he just scrabbled meekly at the side, slid down, and landed hard on his flank. Next, he came around the side, and stepped on a moldy box to gain height, then leaped at the metal sides. Suddenly he had a pawhold, and another. Then his hind legs scrabbled up the rest of the way, pulling himself up onto the disgusting rubbish.

The other side was strange, a giant reddish-colored thing. _T__hat must be a twoleg nest from the elder's tales_. There was room to the side, as the fence connected to another, and branched off. Leaping down, he realized with dread, the forest floor had transformed into hard gray rock, but it didn't seem natural. It was flat, and smelled disgustingly like twolegs and something else he couldn't recgignize.

Taking a look as to where he should go next, he saw a flash at the edge of the shadows. _A rouge! "_All right you mangy crowfood eater, come out, so I can rip your fur off!"

Then, it did.

Lightningkit screamed.

Chapter 2

Rain's POV

"Hey, Rain... Rain"

The voice was just a faint whisper.

"What?"

"Wake up. Hunters are gathering"

Slowly opening her eyes, Savoring all the sleep she could, Rain looked up. She was looking into a pair of cat's eyes. Storm's. They were a deep brown-gold color, and were staring lovingly into hers. "Why do they leave so early?" She asked the question, though she knew the answer already. The prey was always out early in the mornings of Twolegplace, in hopes of their hunters not being awake yet. "You told me to wake you up at dawn, so you could have good hunting."

She sat up and began to wash. When she was done, she glanced around, hoping to see her brother so she could invite him to come along. "Where's Snow?"

"He left just before you woke up. Saying, 'Better get out before Rain does so I can beat her at catching that mouse!' I told him he didn't stand a chance, not with you around." He nuzzled her gently, then stood up and left the warm den. It wasn't much of a one, with the holes and water dripping from the silver ceiling made from twoleg trash. Suddenly, her stomach rumbled, reminding her to hurry. She rushed out of the den to see the patrol was still waiting. "Could you have taken any longer?" Asked a rude voice.

"Sure Nettle, anything to get you your precious 23 hours of sleep" retorted Rain with a grin.

" At least **_I_** didn't take a moon getting out of **_my_** nest today." Nettle smirked as she replied.

The group left the camp and decided to split up, Rain, Storm, and Nettle hunted in the alleyway behind the abandoned twoleg nest, and Rocky crossed the thunderpath, to search any dumpsters for squirrels. Immediately, Nettle dropped into a hunting crouch, stepping lightly, and caught a mouse. Rain and Storm pair hunted to catch a Thrush, who was busily pecking along the cracks in the hard flooring, not paying any attention at all. Rain ran out of hiding, yowling, and the bird flew into Storm's expectant paws.

The sun was beginning to set as the trio headed back to camp. They had too much fresh kill to carry back at once, so they made a second trip. As they turned around the corner of the twoleg nest in the alleyway, Storm called "Wait," Then Rain heard a thump, a cat's paws landing on the ground. "get down." Unable to see their enemy around the bend, only Nettle stuck her head around it. "It's just a kit," she whispered, "probably from those '_warrior clans'_ that live in the forest"

The cat mewed something defiant, but Rain didn't understand much. Just that it was some kind of threat. Suddenly, Nettle stalked out menacingly from the shadows. She paused as the kit screamed before grabbing him by the scruff.

Shrewkit's POV

Following Lightningkit's scent blindly, Shrewkit barely had time to stop before she rammed into a fence. She came to a skidding halt just a whisker away from the wooden boards, and almost gagged on a horrible stench. Looking to the left, she saw the pile of twoleg trash and recoiled. Then realized with a shudder, that Lightningkit had climbed up the disgusting heap and crossed the fence into twoleg place. _Oh No!, _She suddenly leaped up the pile as she thought_, That's where rouges live! _Not thinking of her own safety, Shrewpaw leaped over the fence and gave a furious hiss, ready for whatever had harmed Lightningkit.

Shrewkit nearly fell over in fear, There were cats here, and they didn't exactly smell like clan cats. She stiffened, there was movement in the shadows. Then, a blue-gray rouge, a tom, lunged for her. She couldn't even yelp as the tom grabbed her by the scruff, pain lanced through her neck as he pulled up hard.

"What do we do with them? Take them back?" That was a light gray and white she-cat, who didn't sound very hostile, just confused.

"I say we kill 'em now, to be done with it and get back" That was another she-cat, he voice muffled.

"I think Rain is right, we should bring them back to Sky. She'll know what to do"

Since Shrewkit could only look down, she could just see paws and sometimes whiskers. She was used to this, after all, her mother had only dragged her out of the nursery before, never letting her set foot on her own. Only when she was four moons old could she walk out with Lightningkit. _Lightningkit! _She thought happily,_ He's here! _Shrewkit could scent him, it was so fresh, she could almost touch it.

_Why aren't the others doing anything about it? Can they even scent him? Or are they really that stupid? _Suddenly, the rouges headed deeper into twoleg place, leaving the alleyway. They crossed a couple streams and dips in the hard, black surface, when Shrewpaw noticed she could smell more cats.

_**Many**_ more cats.

Lightningkit's POV

Lightningkit was terrified, he couldn't fight or flee, he couldn't even move. His scruff was aching so badly, and he didn't even know where he was being taken to. When he heard his sister hiss, then yelp, his whole world came crashing down on him. _**He**_ had brought her into danger. A danger he couldn't control.

Chapter 3

Rain's POV

Walking into the shelter, Rain noticed some cats avoid her, giving them tentative stares and walking away, just to watch from a safer distance. Uncomfortable, Rain lowered her gaze. A younger aged cat padded up to them, unaware of the harsh stares she was given, and sniffed each of the strange kittens in turn. Soon enough, others approached, asking questions they've been itching to ask since the hunters entered the shelter.

"Who's kits are those?"

"Where did they come from?"

Suddenly one spoke out above the rest, "They smell like the forest! They must be clan cats!"

They went silent, considering the possibility. Then more outbursts, jumbling together in a buzzing chaos, until a commanding voice yowled, "Quiet, All of you!"

_Yes! Thank you!_ Thought Rain, she had become restless, waiting for the conversations to subside. The voice who had spoken was their leader, Sky. She was their leader because she had pulled the loners together as one, and made a family. She was a natural and fair leader, respected by most and known by all in the group.

"Why have you brought these kits into our realm? You know the don't belong here, their mother will be furious."

"I tried to tell them Sky, I told them to leave them where they were and be fair about this. But they wouldn't listen." Nettle lied, as she always did. "They wanted the glory of finding th-"

"Quiet! I was asking Rain." Sky turned her gaze to the nervous she-cat, who had never spoken in front of so many others before. She gulped. "We found them by the abandoned alleyway, next to the forest. When we had come back to retrieve the rest of our prey, we spotted this kit, and after we caught it, the other popped out." Rain decided to leave out the part about Nettle wanting to kill them, she knew it didn't matter. Sky would've never believed it. "We thought it would be best to bring them here and let you decide"

"I see" Her eyes narrowed in thought. Raising her head once more, she turned to Storm, "Bring the kits to the holly bush shelter for the injured, and patch any holes so they can't escape. They will stay there until I decide what to do with them." She looked over the cats, searching out one in particular, then she called, "Mud, you will take first guard duty until dawn, then find another cat to take your place 'till sunhigh." Mud, a dark brown and black color, replied," Yes Sky." His leader turned to her den.

"I will decide what we do with them during the sunhigh meal."

Lightningkit's POV

When he was brought to the bush-den, Lightningkit passed out. This time, his dreams were filled with the fear he had felt at the sight of the rouges, and the fear he felt for his sister. When he woke, he felt as though he had never slept. Remembering with a thrill of fear what had happened the night before, Lightningkit opened his eyes to look for Shrewkit, and found her immediately. She was curled into a tight ball, her head resting on his tail. Delighted to see her, he poked her side. She mumbled protest, "Five more minutes..." He jabbed her again, " Wh- Huh?...Lightningkit? I had the scariest dream."

"It wasn't a dream" He mewed with dread. Shrewkit looked around, then her eyes opened wide, " It wasn't?" She whispered the words with the slightest hint of disbelief.

"What are they going to do with us? Eat us and suck on our bones?" Lightningkit shuddered at his dark thought.

Shrewkit hesitated, "I'm not sure, but their leader said they would decide at the sunhigh something. Maybe they'll let us go."

"And give away their position to our clans? I don't think so." The pair listened to the commotion outside. Cats were talking of hunting and searching the territory for better living areas. The shelter buzzed with activity.

Soon though, A yowl interrupted the noise, silencing it. There was a voice, that was slightly muffled due to the holly bush, that sounded commanding. "That's Sky, their leader." Pricking his ears, and leaning close, Lightningkit could hear what the she-cat was saying. "...For those of you that don't already know, we are sheltering two kittens, supposedly from the clans. Assuming they are, I have decided that if the clan cats want their kits, they can search for them. If we enter their territory with kits in our jaws and offer them back, those cats will see us more as their enemies than anything else and chase us away. I don't believe it is worth the risk of bloodshed, and I will have these cats grow as a part of us."

There were no yowls of disbelief, defiance, or disagreement. Just another buzz of voices as the cats broke apart into clusters to carry on their conversations.

Lightningkit and Shrewkit didn't know what to say. Surely she didn't mean it?

Shrewkit's POV

Suddenly the leaves of the bush rustled, and a cat squeezed halfway in, fresh kill in her jaws. "I thought you two might need this" She dropped a vole. Suddenly Shrewkit's belly growled, but she hesitated, and gave the mysterious she-cat a look of mistrust. She giggled, " Smart. It's okay, you can trust me, I won't poison you." Amusement sparkled in her eyes as she pulled herself the rest of the way in, the sharp edges of the bush's leaves yanking her fur. She settled in the far side, where there was more room. Giving in to hunger, Shrewkit took a grateful bite. It was delicious. Suddenly,Lightningkit was bold enough to mew, "What's your name?"

Taken by surprise, the she cat answered, "Rain. And yours?" Lightningkit hesitated, so Shrewkit replied, "I'm Shrewkit, and this is Lightningkit." Lightningkit gave her a look, and she glared back. "I see your having problems trusting me. Is there anything you'd like to know about us? I mean, now that your staying here, if you want to leave this nest, you may as well know." All her uncertainty of this cat gone, Shrewkit asked, "What's the camp like? Do you all have different dens?"

Rain seemed a little confused, but she meowed, "We have a spot for kits and kit-mothers, healthy cats, sick cats, and a den for Sky. How did you know?"

"I think our clan was the same." Next, Lightningkit asked, do you teach the younger cats how to hunt? With mentors, I mean."

"No." Rain seemed more confused now. " We just hunt in groups. And the younger cats, when they're ready, will copy us until they get it right."

"Can we ever leave this bush? It's hot!" The gray she-cat grew silent, then shrugged. "Why not?"

Shrewkit was suddenly nervous, hoping the other cats would accept her. For some reason, this was more important than the world to her. Rain rose to her paws, then headed for the exit. She turned around, "Don't try to escape," Her eyes were serious, "If you do, you won't leave this bush for a moon." She hopped out of the den, and the kits followed. Rain mewed something to the snow white colored guard, then brushed past him, their fur touching. _Kin? _Shrewpaw wondered briskly, then she walked on.

Chapter 4

Rain's POV

Looking at the kits as they mingled with the others, Rain couldn't help but know who they belonged to. She liked them more than any other cat, but so far, nobody had noticed. Not even Storm. Their pelts were the same as hers and their fathers, but they had no clue. She was so worried for them, they had been through so much more than any cat could guess.

A memory flashed through her mind, a memory of snow, and leaving the kits behind in the shelter of that bush, in clan territory. She had been starving, and she knew a cat who would help her, help her without telling anyone else. She had left them there that night, abandoned them in the cold, but she knew they'd be in a better place. A part of a clan, where they could belong. But somehow they'd found their way back to her. Rain would like to keep it that way, but if they found out the truth, she would accept their hate.

Deciding the kits could manage, Rain searched the camp for Storm. She wanted to know if he had guessed about the kits. Soon, she spotted him, sharing fresh kill with her littermate, Snow. She padded over, ducking as Sparrow walked unsteadily in her path, carrying sticks to reinforce the holly bush.

As she approached, her shadow falling across the two toms, and Storm looked up.

"Yes?" Rain was almost nervous to tell her mate the news, but she was also almost certain he knew. " Can we take a walk along the fence by the woods? Alone?" She added as her brother opened his mouth.

Looking uncertain, Storm nodded. Turning to Snow, he mewed, "I'll catch up with you later, and you can finish the story about the fox." Then he wheeled back to her," Let's go"

Leaving the shelter, with just Storm by her side, was bringing back more memories of apprenticeship. They'd hunt together, in pairs, go on patrols together whenever they could, and even share fresh kill together. When they became warriors, cats had begun to expect to see the two together. ALWAYS.

"I'm, assuming you know?"

"What? Did I miss something?"

Rain really was stunned. Not even her mate had guessed they were her missing kits. She decided to take it slow. " It's about those kits."

"Yeah?"

"...They're ours."

Lightningkit's POV

"And what's your name youngster?"

"Lightningkit"

"And yours?"

"Shrewkit"

Lightningkit had begun to feel a little uncomfortable. Lots of cats had begun to surround him and his sister, asking all sorts of questions. From ones like, 'Where did you come from?', to questions like, ' What's your favorite kind of prey?'

Soon though, cats grew bored and began to leave. _Good riddance, _Lightningkit thought bitterly. When it was almost sunhigh, he and Shrewkit spotted Rain and her mate, Storm, enter. Ditching what was left of the group, they crossed the center of the rouges home, and skidded to a dusty halt at storm's paws.

He looked at them crossly. Lightningkit noticed Rain give him a stern look, then her gazed softened as it landed on them. "We need to talk.' Her voice was grave, and her eyes serious, as she added, "In the forest." _The forest!_ When he heard the word, he straitened up, eager to get going.

Rain headed for the exit, and they followed up behind. Shrewkit lengthened her stride to catch up to Storm. "What's up with rain?" She pried, "Why is she so serious?"

Storm gave her a look of uncertainty and some other feeling Lightningkit couldn't recognize. Was it...Love? No it couldn't be. He had imagined that.

"I uh, think you should wait and hear it from h-her" He started moving faster and caught up to Rain, Then whispered something in her ear. She licked his shoulder in return.

Finally, they stopped at an area enclosed slightly by trees growing densely together, and settled down.

Shrewkit and Lightningkit sat together, opposing Rain and Storm.

"I know you're both very curious as to why we've brought you here. What you are about to be told may and will change your lives forever."

Shrewkit twitched beside him. He glanced over and saw her blue eyes grow wide. Rain continued. "I... I..." She gulped. "I'm your mother."

At first, Lightningkit was speechless. Staring at this cat, she couldn't possibly be his mother. He suddenly burst with laughter, and disbelief. If that were possible. He couldn't contain his doubts. "You? My mother? I was born in a clan!"

Rain swapped a shocked glance with Storm.

Then the cats in front of him disappeared, and he was standing belly deep in snow. _My dream!_ His vision was perfectly clear, and he felt the freezing chill as if he really were there. Looking ahead , he could see his mother. He could actually see her! At least, her backside. She was a light gray, with some light flecks and stripes along her pelt.

He opened his eyes in shock and disbelief. "Rain?" He was back in the clearing as if he had never left. Shrewkit was beside him, staring at the ground, and his mother and father were two tail lengths away.

"Why did you leave us?"

Shrewkit's POV

_Why me? Why me Starclan? _Shrewkit was lost in her stunned and miserable thoughts. _Can I trust anyone anymore?_ Turning to her right, she saw Lightningkit ask, in just a whisper, "Why did you leave us?" _Does he actually believe her?_

Rain hesitated, so he asked again, louder. "Why?"

"I-I couldn't t-take care of you. Starlingpelt was a better mother for you two."

Shrewkit was suddenly angry. Why had this cat had kits she couldn't take care of? Why didn't anyone in the clan tell them who their real parents were?

"She was" Shrewkit spat out the words so coldly, she almost broke her own heart. Rain gasped, then lowered her head in shame. Storm finally spoke, with an authority she had never heard before. "Shrewkit, do you know how many sacrifices this cat has made for you? Do you have any idea how hard it was to let you go?"

He stood up, suddenly his height made the kits nervous. "She could've let you starve to death in the crook of her belly, but no. She nearly died of cold to get you to safety with a clan. Where you could belong!"

Shrewkit was less angry, just a little scared and slightly surprised. Had she really done those things? Quietly, she asked, " Why not let us grow up here? In the shelter?"

"It didn't exist" Storm sat back down. "Later though, Sky pulled us together, and now we have a much better life"

Suddenly Lightningkit stood up, and cautiously walked over to Rain's lowered head. He licked her ear. " I forgive you."

Shrewkit also stood up and padded over. "I- I didn't know how much you did for us. I forgive you and I'm sorry." Rain looked into their eyes for a moment longer, then sat up and started grooming them.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 5 (3)

Rain's POV

Rain hadn't spoken much to the kits much after her confession. She was currently hunting, searching for a plump mouse by the alleyway. Scenting the air, she noticed another smell, a cat's. _That's Storm_, she noticed, walking as she caught yet another scent, _and Lightning kit and Shrewkit._ Curious, she padded in their direction. They were in the far side of the woods. Way away from the clans.

She heard a thud, then a young tom's voice, "Can we do that again?"

In answer, Storm said, "Of course, but this time, you do it to me." Then Rain stepped into a dirt clearing, cautiously, as to not interrupt or accidentally clawed. She stuck out her head, just enough to see the two, Lightningkit and Storm, leap at each other. Lightningkit began towards Storm's face, then he ducked down, and snagged his leg from under him as he ran. His father slipped, so Lightningkit turned and pinned him down, a triumphant gleam in his eyes.

"Hi" Rain called. "I wondered what you were doing, so I decided to come down and take a look. And form what I've seen so far, it looks good!" When she spoke, Lightningkit looked up, startled. "I didn't see you there" his voice uncertain.

It seemed he had been avoiding Rain, and she didn't try hard to talk to him. Shrewkit though, she was more than happy to talk with her long lost mother. "Sorry. Would anyone like to hunt with me?" She secretly wanted Lightningkit to oblige, considering they never talked. Storm spoke up sharply "How about we hunt in pairs? That way we'd catch more prey. Shrewpaw and I will head for the abandoned Twolegplace, and Lightningkit and you can hunt along the fence by the woods."

His tone suggested he wasn't considering any other suggestions, and as he walked past Rain, their pelts brushed. Suddenly alone in the clearing, there was an awkward pause. Neither of them knew what to say. "Are we just going to stand here? Let's catch some prey." Lightningkit ducked under the undergrowth and padded away, leaving the branches he pushed slapping Rain square on her muzzle. She yelped, and he came rushing back, fear and concern in his eyes. "Oh, oh, I'm so sorry Rain, I didn't mean to really!" He sniffed her up and down.

Rain purred, "I'm fine Lightningkit, it just stings that's all."

"Phew. Thank Starclan!" Rain stared at him, only once had she ever heard that phrase used before, with Starlingpelt. " Where did you pick that word up? I mean, Starclan. I don't really hear it that often."

Worried he said something wrong, Lightningkit stared at his paws. "I guess I heard it before with the clans." he mumbled.

Then the two cats began to hunt.

Shrewkit's POV

Coming back to the shelter, at least, that's what the others call it, Shrewkit felt like she was finally welcome. A cat she'd met, Silversplash, had helped her learn the hunting crouch two days before she and Lightningkit learned fighting moves. She had said "Keep your tail up, and step lightly when hunting a mouse. And for birds, you have to be ready to leap, because if you even let a whisker touch a leaf and make even the slightest sound, they **_will_** hear you."

As she scented the air, she caught a whiff of mouse scent. _Luckily_, she thought. Had it been another ilk of prey, she might've been unprepared for such an advanced kill.

Searching through the undergrowth, sure not to tread on anything noisy, Shrewkit saw it. A plump, brown mouse was scrabbling among the roots of an oak tree. her ears twitched in excitement. My first kill! She stalked slowly foreword, trembling with some kind of imaginary pressure, and her eyes never left her prey.

Then, she leaped, caught the mouse in her claws, and bit the back of it's neck with her teeth.

"Well done!" Shrewkit leaped two tail-lengths in the air, yowling.

"Why'd you scare me like that?"

"What, a father can't talk to his daughter? Have a nice conversation?" He stretched his eyes in mock innocence. Then, purring, he brushed his muzzle along hers and said, "Let's go back home, and you can show everyone your first catch!"

Excited, Shrewkit followed.

Lightningkit's POV

The hunt with Rain went decently well, with an exception of one missed kill. He had caught a pigeon, his first bird, and a mouse. Rain had chased a squirrel halfway up a tree, and came down with the warm body in her jaws.

"Nothing to it." she'd mewed, as Lightningkit opened his jaws in shock.

They brought their fresh-kill back shortly after Storm and Shrewkit. Tossing it onto the pile, he approached them happily, a skip in his step.

"What's up with you? Did hunting go well?" She yawned, her jaws gaping.

"Yes. In fact, it went better than well. I caught my first pigeon."

"Good for you." She obviously didn't care. That, or she couldn't, being so tired after such a busy day. Soon though, storm suggested everyone get a good night's rest, so they could be ready for an early day tomorrow.

With no complaints for once, Lightningkit and Shrewkit gladly slept in their new, individualized nest, with the other cats of the shelter. He was proud to have been thought of as a member instead of a prisoner. He slept with no nightmares.

He woke early the next morning. He stretched and washed the moss out of his pelt, then left the den to bright morning sunshine. Others began to wake up too, leaving to hunt or practice combat moves. Some kits had left their nursery, playing with a ball of moss and wrestling each other to the dusty ground.

_Kits!_ he thought, _Why does my name have **kit** in it? I must've been talked about all these moons!_ He noticed Sky come out of her den, to the right of the nursery. An idea began brewing in his head. He padded over, nervous. ""Hey Sky? I, well, I-I was wondering" She turned to face him, "Yes?"

"Can Shrewkit and I change our names?"


	4. Chapter 4

Taken aback, she couldn't help but stutter, "Wh-Why? Why would you want to do that?"

"It's just, everybody has really cool and fitting names, when Shrewkit and I have **_kit_** in our names. I'm really not comfortable with that."

Sky looked to the ground, eyes narrowed in thought. " I suppose so." She turned her noble green eyes to him once more. " It seems like that change was coming for a while, and I never noticed. I'll call a meeting immediately. Is Shrewkit here?"

"In her nest, snoring like a hedgehog!"

"Get her"

Leaving the clearing, he pulled Shrewkit out of the nest, ignoring her outbursts, and he didn't let go until she bit him on his foreleg.

"Wake up, mousebrain, Sky is calling a meeting!"

Numbed with excitement, He ignored the pain and hobbled out, paying no attention to the strange stares he was given. Cats already seemed to be gathering outside Sky's den.

A stab of worry struck him suddenly, so hard he almost fell backwards. _We didn't discuss what my name would be! Is she going to decide?_ He didn't have time to ask, because the minute Sky stepped out of her den, she spoke. "I have gathered you all here for something I have never done before.

Lightningkit shivered as Shrewkit approached, "What's she talking about?" she whispered.

"You'd better see for yourself"

"Lightningkit and Shrewkit have seemingly grown out of their names," her eyes sparkled as she continued, "and I think it's about time we called them by something a little more proper. Come forward, you two."

They cut through the crowd, and stood face-to-face with their leader. " I will call you Lightning and Shrew. May your new names serve you well."

For some reason he felt proud, proud of his new name, proud of his hunting skills, and proud that he had survived all the heartache and betrayal and abandonment. Lightning finally belonged somewhere. And that was all that mattered.

Or so he thought.


	5. To those who don't know

**_To anyone following this/ waiting for the next chapter!_**

**_I'm not continuing this in the same story! It's a sequel called Shrewkit's return!_**

**_I've not yet published it, but if you want you can read other stories by me!_**

**_An annoying tale for an annoying kit _the beginning to this isn't as funny as the other chapters, and it has no time frame sense what so ever Comedy**

_**Death Note Poems**_

**A couple dark poems I made based off a sad show... :( Dark**

_**A Burning Hatred**_

**A warrior cat fanfic with sex, but to anyone who doesn't want to read those part, I have bold letters to warn you! Romance**

**_Shrewkit's return: Character list_**

**This is a completely messed up character list. It'll be re-done soon. If you would like to send in characters for me to use, these are what I need:**

**Apprentices**

**Warriors **

**Elders**

**Thanks!**


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